The Howling Wolf, the Moon and the Broken Tree
by Etranger-Solitaire
Summary: AU. Canon until late into NM. What would have happened if Bella never jumped and never set in motion the events that would land her in Volterra. A possible glimpse of a 'what if'. WIP.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N): This is my first try at a fanfic, the choice to push this toward an AU piece stems simply from my curiosity of a simple 'what if'… What if Bella never jumped in New Moon and this event never set in motion the following chain of events that leads her to Volterra.**

**This could be categorized into Jacob/Bella but I intend on including many of our beloved characters (as in, we do love them, but I don't own any of them. SM owns everything).**

**I will try and find a BR as soon as possible since English isn't my first language, until then, sorry for any spelling/grammar and typos.**

**Chapter I**

_Bella's POV_

There I was, the rain splattering angrily over my half closed eyes, staring at the angry skies which as if on cue, let out a gut wrenching lightning crash that echoed across the water into a deafening sound reverberating against the mountain.

I reeled back from the sound but my right foot slipped against the wet rocks and I had to crouch down and hold onto the sharp jagged rocks to keep from falling down. My heart was beating so fast I thought it would jump out of my already broken chest.

_Do not do this Bella! Walk away, now._

There it was, the beautiful satin-like voice I was waiting for. Just one more dose of courage, a quick one-two steps that would send me free falling through the air, and I would certainly hear more of my own personal angelic voice.

But there I was, frozen in place, crouching, grasping those jagged rocks, my fingers blanching from the strain.

_'Go back, go to Charlie, and walk away from this childish endeavor!'_

Yes! I wanted more of this, I knew I would regret this later when the voice would quiet down and would leave me again, but I had to hold onto it as much as I could while it was there. But the rain was now turning into a full-fledged storm, and here on the tip of the mountain I was exposed to its violent fury.

Go on-two short steps and I was sure the angry sultry melodic music that I call his voice would embrace me. But my body was betraying me; my courage was deserting me nearly as quickly as my body heat. My teeth where chattering, the wind rocking me around like a paper doll.

There it was, my salvation, I didn't need to be courageous; I only needed to stop holding on and let myself go. One selfish act of cowardice and the wind would do the rest, quickly before it gets even worse than it already is.

Slowly, excruciatingly slowly I should say, I released my grip on the jagged rock that was my small pillar of safety, one finger at a time, in this violent wind. Let the wind have its way with me.

Time to face the abyss below, time to fly.

Just as I was closing my eyes, rocking on the balls of my feet, feeling the wind pushing me toward the precipice, I felt a pair of vice grips taking hold of my shoulders.

"What do you think you are doing? Are you out of your mind!" a husky strangled voice said behind me.

I looked up to stare into the worried eyes of Jacob, my Jacob. He shook me gently and then crushed me against his wet naked torso. He then took a few steps back away from the ledge.

"Bella, what were you thinking? You would have drowned down there," he whispered in my hair.

As if to echo his words, I could finally hear the violent ripping sound of the water crashing against the rock way below our promontory.

A mixture of rage, sorrow, and defeat hit me like a truck. I tried to push him away.

"I can walk on my own," I said trough clenched teeth.

But the adrenaline washed away from me with my anger, and the cold took over my body, sapping all the strength from my legs. Jacob quickly caught me before I fell down, picking me up in his powerful arms like a child.

Part of me wanted to protest, but mostly I was glad he was finally here with me, not running around with his pack-with Sam's pack.

The heat radiating from his body was soothing, and soon my teeth weren't clashing against each others as frequently. I was vaguely aware that he was walking back toward my truck.

"How did you know where to find me?" I said, looking up to him, blinking as the rain was falling on us.

He smiled, not a complete innocent smile like my old Jacob, but a self assured mix between a smug smile and a reassuring one. Bastard.

"I followed the tracks from your truck. And there is not much to do around here then cliff jumping."

As if to prove his point, he pointed toward my truck with a nod. But the smugness disappeared quickly from his beautiful face, and I could see that something wasn't completely right.

Without letting me down, he opened the passenger door with one hand and gently dropped me on the seat. I waited for him to open the other door, but he hesitated for a second, looking at me through the wet glass and looking down at the ground, before finally opening it.

He sat down, and without saying anything, turned the ignition key and sent a tremor trough my truck, sputtering the engine to life.

Jacob closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the steering wheel.

"Bella now is not the time for being adventurous by yourself," he said with his usual husky voice but with a strain in it.

"I am sorry Jacob, I was waiting for you but you never came back. You go around running with your pack, and I am stranded alone here. You promised you would take a day off with me to..." but I broke off as he stared back at me, faint traces of tears in the corner of his eyes.

I slid toward him on the set, glad to feel his warmth against my body and took a hold of his right arm.

"What is it Jake?"

When I looked in his eyes, my stomach started to feel like acid was burning thought it.

"Did someone get hurt? Did Victoria hurt Embry or Jared? What happened?" I said, frantically.

"Nothing like that. The leech jumped into the water and we were afraid she was doubling back toward the beach," he stated monotonously, shaking his head.

"Then what is it?"

I couldn't shake the dread away. But I was glad that none of the wolves were hurt, I was wondering what could be so bad.

"It's Harry. He was rushed to the hospital, something with his heart. And it sounded bad, very bad..."

I felt a churning in my stomach. Poor Sue and the kids, and Charlie would be devastated if something happened to his best friend.

Jake finally got the truck in gear, put his right arm around my shoulder and gently squeezed me against his flank. I didn't protest, I felt so safe and secure in his arms.

I finally got what I wanted, a bit of both my sun and my moon-my double date.

Then I felt bad about it. How could I find happiness in this moment while Harry was fighting for his life?

I would be there for Charlie, and there was always time for more adventures with Jacob...and Edward.


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N): ****Hi. Thanks for the couple of tags on my story. Still no reviews, but hope those are coming ******

**Still no BR, so I hope it's still bearable for those reading this as I am still trying to find one.**

**As a note, I have drawn my plan/frame for the whole story. I have some twist coming, hope you guys are in for it. **

**I checked, and sadly I still don't own the sandbox or any of the cool toys in it. (i.e. SM owns everything)**

**Chapter II**

_Bella's POV_

There I was, in Jacob's room as he was going through his small closet for something dry for me to wear while my damp clothes clutching my body would go into the dryer, I hoped. I was still shaking like a leaf as said clothes where like a second skin of ice clinging to me like a leech drawing all my body heat.

'There we go' he said half heartedly with a forced grin.

I knew he still had his mind distracted with what was going on with Harry. He pulled out a black t-shirt that looked way too big for me, but it also looked dry and comfortable.

'You're lucky; it's my last and only clean shirt right now' he whispered, smiling sheepishly.

Kind of cute and gross all rolled into one. Only Jacob could have that effect on me, and I say that in a very positive way.

'Thanks Jake. I'll make sure not to dirty your last clean shirt. Not that you seem to be using any of them lately' I replied back with a grin.

He genuinely smiled, his eyes twinkled a little bit as he handed me the shirt. For a moment our eyes met and I knew no matter what the situation was, we would still be us, connected.

As I held the clean,dry shirt in my hands, I looked around the room, balancing myself on the balls of my feet awkwardly. I then stared back at Jake who still didn't seem to get the subtle message I was trying to convey.

'Hmm, Jake. Could you like, give me a moment here?' I said gently, feeling some heat that was somehow ignoring my frozen limbs but had time to rush straight to my cheeks.

'Oh right Bells, sorry bout that' he replied, having the decency to look a bit ashamed at my embarrassment.

As he got out of his room and closed the door, I quickly undressed, my clothes becoming a small pile of wet materials at my feet and as I threw his big t-shirt over my head I could smell him. Even if the shirt was clean, and it was, his woodsy aroma still clung to it somehow.

I felt a shiver, the good kind, run along my spine and send goose bumps all over my skin.

_Bad Bella, come on; let's not turn this into something it's not. _

I grabbed my pile of wet clothes and as I slightly opened Jacob's door to peek into the living room, he was sprawling on the ground in front of the couch where I could see a couple of blankets waiting for me.

'Mind if I throw these into the dryer?' I said, coming out of his room looking at everything except him.

For some strange reason, I didn't want to look into his face as he was eyeing me wearing his shirt. This was nothing more than a nice gesture from him, but I felt once again he would read more into this than he should.

Lately, he seemed to do that a lot and it was infuriating to no end. I didn't know why it got me so much, maybe because I couldn't lose this friendship. Friendship was the wrong word; I knew it was way more than this for me, and for him, well, way more than way more.

That didn't make a lot of sense, but my brain was mush right now and I couldn't function properly I guess.

'Earth to Bella, you sure you didn't hit your head or something? Dryer is in the kitchen' he muttered teasingly.

I had to pay attention, seems he was talking to me while I was talking to myself talking about him.

'Yea sorry, be right back' I said heading to the kitchen where the dryer was.

I threw my wet clothes in and started the old dryer. I was expecting it to sound like my truck for a reason I couldn't explain. But the old thing didn't make a lot more sound than Charlie's dryer. To be fair, my dad's dryer didn't look any younger then the Black's.

I headed back to the couch, very glad to hide under something dry to warm, and to cover, myself. I was feeling very self conscious. I knew Jacob was looking at me. I guess it's a guy thing. From what I gathered, you could look like hell, all wet and dishevelled, but if you wore one of their shirt you were cute or sexy, or a mix of both I guess.

But in all fairness to Jake, he wasn't ogling me, and to be even more honest and petty, it did flatter me a little bit.

His head was leaning back against the couch near my chest and I could see him fighting with his eyelids to keep them open, but that was one fight he wasn't winning.

I felt an urge to run my fingers through his hair, to feel the warmth of his skin under my fingers. And before I could find the courage to slip my hands from under the cover of the blanket, his breathing was steadying and I could hear the start of a low snoring emanating from him.

He was tired, and in this exact moment I felt bad for him, and somehow angry at myself for blaming him for my loneliness today. He was working himself to death with those wolf patrols, and keeping me entertained, juggling all of it and trying to keep everyone happy and protected. I could see him aging before me, the dark circles below his eyes becoming a constant feature on his otherwise handsome face.

In this moment, watching him sleep peacefully, without any worry or misplaced guilt written on his face, I could see my old and new Jacob in his face. My best friend and my sun.

I knew I didn't want to jump on this new train of thought, but my head was grasping at anything to be occupied in this moment in time, and he seemed to be all my mind could focus on. It didn't sound right as I thought about it, lately when I couldn't distract myself all my thoughts ran to Edward, or the figment of him torturing me willingly.

There I had to go and do it, I was thinking about the both of them right now. I felt bad doing it, I felt like I was betraying everything I believed in and crossing lines that had no business being crossed.

Slowly Jacob was starting to get restless in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare. His head shaking a little bit, jerking left and right lightly as his breathing started to become irregular.

Before I could think about it, I reached for his head and with my right hand and started to run my fingers through his still damp dark hair soothingly.

'Shhh Jake, go back to sleep' I whispered while running my fingers slowly and gently from the back of his head to his forehead.

But my efforts were soon undone when the phone rang loudly in the quiet house, as the only sound before that was the low drumming of my clothes in the dryer in the next room and Jake's breathing.

Jake jumped to his feet, and ran for the phone in a swift effortless motion, like he wasn't even deep asleep a moment ago.

I looked at his back, his broad shoulders as he picked up the phone, trying to discern anything from his part of the discussion after he muttered a low greeting when he answered the call.

I could see in a moment it was bad news as his shoulders, his beautiful muscular shoulders slumped in an instant as he guided the phone back to its cradle to end the call. I tossed the blankets aside and went to stand behind him, with way less grace and fluidity he showed a moment earlier.

As I approached him, I could feel the guilt, the responsibility crashing onto him, like he was in that moment having to hold the weight of the world on his shoulder. I felt like I had to shield him from this burden, even if for just a moment, an instant. He looked like a kid in a grown up body when he turned to face me, his eyes filled with tears.

He was fighting them, refusing for them to stream down his cheeks, but one did pierce his barrier and a moment later another one before he defiantly wiped them with the back of his hand.

'What is it Jake?' I asked trying to sound courageous for him, but my voice broke on every word as my mind tried to fight the inevitable truth it had already grasped from the situation.

Jacob shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. He looked so vulnerable in this moment that without thinking about it, I threw my small arms around his huge waist. I could feel the warmth of his naked torso against my body with only the thin layer of his shirt separating us.

'Oh, it's going to be okay Jake.' I whispered to him, looking up into his eyes.

'I don't know Bella, it was Billy on the phone. It's Harry, he…' and he choked on the words. He was staring into my eyes, trying to be brave.

I closed my eyes for a moment, squeezing my arms harder around his waist, trying to comfort him.

'He didn't make it?' I choked out myself, trying to keep my voice even for our sake but again broke on every word.

He simply nodded, confirming what my mind had already put together minutes ago but my conscience was refusing to take the call.

As I opened my eyes and stared back into his again, I could see the pain. Like two dark dots on the beauty and warmth of my sun, my own personal blazing star. All I wanted was to make him happy again, if just for a moment. Like he had done for me every day since he who was not to be named went away.

Without thinking about it, trying to push back all thoughts of him, the one not to be named, away I pushed up on the tip of my toes to plant a kiss on his cheek.

For a moment he stared confusingly into my eyes as he reared his head back a little, but as if we were dancing a dance, we both leaned into each other and before I could put any logical thought in it, we were crushing our lips together while he grabbed me gently by the shoulders.

And then the phone rang again with authority. I stepped back form the kiss, staring at the floor trying to avoid his eyes.

Jake picked up the phone on the third ring.


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N):**** First I would like to thank immzw4 again for making this more enjoyable for my readers.**

**I will deliver a friendly warning right from the start, for good or bad there is a certainty that I will be more brutal then SM with her characters ******

**Hope you enjoy this third chapter.**

'_One cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war' – __**Albert Einstein**_

**Chapter III**

_Bella's POV_

There I was , lying in my bed, clutching my cell phone in my right hand and mindlessly chewing a corner of it, trying without much effort to distract myself.

But it didn't help; I was staring at Jake's shirt resting on the back of my chair. No matter which way I tried to look at it, I felt it was judging me.

Stupid shirt.

I could see Jacob's face when he picked up the second phone call and broke our more-then-friends-but-less-then-he-thought-it-meant kiss. Why did we always end up in this stupid grey area? I knew he would never let this go.

While he was talking to Sam half-heartedly, he was trying to decipher my reaction, I think. But I was keeping busy, taking my stuff out of the dryer and putting my pants back on and looking around for my shoes.

Both were still damp, especially the shoes, but it didn't matter. I had to get out of there, away from him as fast as I could.

He caught up with me just as I closed the door of my truck. I wanted to run away from him, put my truck in gear and speed away from him and the hurt I could see in his eyes, but I lowered the glass separating us.

Most of what we exchanged was a jumble in my head, but the hurt and the incomprehension on his face were engraved into the back of my skull like a painful reminder that I should think before I acted.

That my actions could have very powerful reactions, especially when Jacob, my lips, his lips were in the equation.

ARGH!

I tried to turn to the side and bury my head into my pillow to block everything out, but my hands betrayed me a moment later when I angled my pillow just enough to catch a glimpse of black fabric lying on my chair.

Why did I do this? I knew for a fact that defining my relationship with Jacob would result in my brain hemorrhaging. I didn't want to go there. Simply put, I would have to sort out a lot of my emotions and feelings for Jacob and Edward.

There, I could say his name. Weird. Usually I would feel my body implode toward my chest when I even thought his name.

Anyway, now was not the time, I needed to be strong for Charlie.

With frustration, I threw my pillow away from and glimpsed at the clock on the night table.

Three hours before I needed to go and join Charlie and the rest of them to pay my respects to Sue and the kids. I felt so sad, they were so young to be without a father, and in that moment I felt glad to have my grumpy, yet loving father in my life.

I could head out sooner and grab something on the way for Charlie to eat, but that would mean facing Jake sooner then I wasn't ready for him.

Well, time to take action and clear my mind, I knew I had messages waiting for me from Renee on my dinosaur, also known as my slow computer. I needed to let her know the terrible news. She knew the Clearwaters from her time in Forks.

As I quickly went through her last message, I learn that Phil is doing great, his "kids" are on a winning streak and the team is doing a lot better since he took over. The house is great, again I would love it. Sunny, hot and dry, why did she have to brag?

I quickly wrote back, my heart and mind half into it, no matter what I tried to do with my hands to distract myself; my mind was running back to the events back at Jake's place. After letting Renee know about Harry, the remaining content of my message was pretty generic, and before making a fool of myself I signed it and sent it away.

A loud knock on the door broke my short reverie as I was staring blankly at my screen, still mulling over my thoughts.

Distractedly I headed downstairs to answer the door, and with all the grace of an elephant in combat boots I manage to miss the last step and while my freefall lasted less then a second, it was enough to ensure that I managed to bite my lower lips with enough force to split it open and I could feel the tangy-metallic taste of my own blood in my mouth.

Pausing a second to let my still racing heart return to its rightful position in my chest, I was graced with another very loud knock on the door.

"Bella, it's me", I heard Jacob say trough the door.

Damn, not him, not now.

My lower lip felt like it was expanding as I ran my tongue over it and I had to take hold of the ramp as I felt a rush of vertigo hit me as I tasted another mouthful of my own blood.

Holding my hand over my mouth, I opened the door and I took in the sight of Jacob, filling the whole frame of the door, his muscular russet body blocking most of the light coming from outside.

I looked up at him, still holding my hand over my mouth, and there he was staring down at me with a mix of frustration and incomprehension in his eyes.

"Hey Jake", I muttered through my hand, still in front of my mouth, trying to sound matter-of-factly, but failing pathetically as my voice broke.

As he entered, he forced me to retreat a couple of steps, and reflexively I obliged, like a couple dancing, well trying to dance I should say, as it wasn't very graceful on my part.

He closed the door behind him with a loud thud and I can see anger taking over, he seemed to be on the verge of exploding, his hands shaking a little.

"What happened back there Bells, you can just kiss and run on a guy!", he spat angrily throwing his arms out wide to accentuate his frustration.

Taken aback and feeling frustrated at being backed into a corner, I cross my arms over my chest and take a step back toward him but I stop short as his eyes completely changed from frustration, to shock and finally to concern in a moment.

"What happened to your lip?", he asked, gently grabbing my chin with two of his fingers and lowering down to take a better look at it.

'I missed a step coming down to answer some Cro-Magnon battering my front door' I snapped back, still a bit peeved at how he barged in.

I turn my head away from him and force myself to look at him as once again, he stood barely clothed in my living room. No matter how much I was trying to stay mad at him, just looking into his face was melting my own anger away. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew he had every right to be.

"Let me take a look at it", he said after a short moment, leading me toward the kitchen gently by the arm.

As much as I was putting on a brave façade, it was starting to make my head spin a little; maybe I did bite down a lot harder then I first thought.

Without asking, he lifted me effortlessly by the waist and made me sit on the counter beside the sink like I was a kid being treated by my parents.

"Jake, we need to discuss the simple basic laws of personal space!", I chastised as he smirked back, turning on the cold water, grabbing a clean towel, and wetting it.

I tried to look away as I could feel his warm breath on my face and I suddenly became aware once again of my proximity to his warm, toned body.

Nope, so not going there right now. Remember, mad, personal space, grrrr.

"Ok, look Ja…", but before I can finish my sentence, he starts cleaning my lower lip with the damp cloth with a gentleness that someone would think impossible from someone his size.

Tears were forming in the corner of my eyes as he was tenderly cleaning my wound with the damp cold cloth, forcing my lip down to take a better look. He was being gentle, but he did smirk again when he saw a couple of tears run down my cheek.

"Stop being such a baby Bella, it's just a small cut"' he commented while returning the cloth under the running water to wash some of the blood away and rewet it with cooler water.

I just stared at him defiantly and with the back of my sleeve, I wiped the tears away.

He carefully pressed the damp cloth against the gash, and takes my hand up to it to hold it while he headed toward the refrigerator. He opened it and grabbed the ice cube tray. He walked back toward me with a mischievous grin, mildly amused by all of this.

I glared at him while he turned the faucet to stop the water, and took a couple of cubes out of the tray. I took the damp cloth away from my lips and unfolded it and he puts the ice inside of it. I folded it back up and with a grimace, I put the cloth back to my wound.

We stared at each other in silence for a long moment. Well, what now, I was trying to really see him, see what I did yesterday.

"Look Bella, I don't know what happened this morning, but something did happen. We kissed", he stated, more calmly then I expected.

I could really see it now, my Jacob. Behind the new body, the small kid was there, insecure, terrified. And it broke my heart a little more, because I didn't think I have it in me to give him what he wanted from me.

"Jacob, I am sorry. I never meant for it to happen. You seemed so distressed, so fragile this morning. I only wanted to comfort you," I started, but he interrupted me with a heavy sigh.

"I know you have a lot going on Bella, but I am here and I am not going anywhere. I felt something in that kiss this morning. You can't deny it," he said back, still sounding insecure.

"Jacob, it was a mistake, I don't have it in me to open up that way to anyone else right now. I don't even know if I will be able to open myself up to anybody else that way," I whispered, holding his eyes with mine.

I could see the doubts, the hurt in his and I heard another faint crack from my chest. Anything I did would end up hurting him right now.

He shook his head lightly, and to my astonishment he smiled back at me. I could see his eyes were not totally into it, but he seemed to have come to a sort of conclusion.

He gently took my other hand, the one not holding the damp bloody makeshift ice pack.

"Okay Bells, I'll make a deal with you. I will not kiss you again until you ask me to," he says smiling proudly.

My heart sinks a bit and I let out a sigh of desperation but he lifts a hand to interrupt my reply.

"Just think about it. For now, we will just be Bella and Jacob, best friends." He nods to emphasize his statement and raises our joined hands to emphasize his words.

I couldn't help but smile back at him, a genuine smile that also happens to turn into a grimace as the barely coagulated wound on my lips seemed to crack open again as it sent a little tremor of pain through my lower lip.

I can see in his eyes that he won't let it go, but he seemed content to keep the status-quo and I needed the time to sort all the broken pieces of my heart. I knew he had a special place in it, but right now I just needed time.


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N):**** First I would like to thank Meech aka immzw4 again for making me sound that good! ******

**Change of pace a little bit with a different point of view.**

**Hope you enjoy this new chapter.**

"_A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love."__ - __Henri B. Stendhal _

**Chapter IV**

_Jacob__'s POV_

I would never grow tired of this, running like a mad man, well wolf really, without any care in the world. The sun was just rising above the mountains, sending sparkling rays of sunshine through the forest giving it an eerie feeling.

There was me, the wind rushing through my fur, my paws raking the soil with dirt flying behind me.

It had been a week since Leah and Seth lost their father, even if we felt bad for them both, we were all kind glad that Sam told them to take it easy for awhile and keep out of wolf form. They were new to it, but they had to pull their share of the workload like the rest of us.

We had all been missing Seth; his good nature was a boon on the general mood of the pack ever since he joined us.

Leah had always been, well Leah to the cube, and as much as we felt bad for her, it was really putting a huge strain on the pack since she joined us, more so with the tragic event. We were all happier to be running longer patrol with less rest if it meant a little less Leah time.

"_Jacob, take the long way around and edge closer to__ the southern border of our land and close in from the west, I'll meet you around at my place", Sam says to me._

Only the two of us that morning and I loved patrolling with the boss, we were more used to staying as much out of the others business has we could, or at least we weren't talking about it.

As I raced through the forest that I knew like the back of my paw, my mind was racing away from the moment and I started focusing on Bella, and the last week we spent together. I had been good; it took everything I had in me, all my willpower, to keep from trying to kiss her again.

It had been frustrating; every now and then I'd been catching her with that look of pain on her face, and every time it tore at my heart, but I'd been holding back, making her laughs as much as I could.

We had been keeping busy the whole week. I was spent, but every moment with her was a blessing. The best night was couple of nights back, we went stargazing, I brought her to this little place I know near the cliff where we cliff dive every now in then, me and the boys.

I took her there with her eyes closed so it would be a surprise. Well, it nearly turned to disaster when she almost fell on the rocks, so I had to half-carry her most of the way. I hadn't minded. I loved the smell of her hair.

I had brought one blanket to lie on, I hadn't brought a second one, I knew the night would be chilly and guess who would be there to warm her? I snickered back at the memory.

"_Oh come on! I've been hearing you and this stargazing shindig for the last couple of days, could you give it a rest! Here I am, reporting for duty and it's the first thing that assaults this poor wolf", Embry groaned as he joined us._

"_Shut up Embry or ill improve your running by taking one of your gangly legs away!" I spit back, sounding angrier than I actually was._

"_Both of you cut it out. Nice of you to join us, have a nice nap?" Sam inquired, his serious tone cutting our little exchange._

"_Hey guys, you should have seen the breakfast Emily ha__d for us this morning", greeted Jared cheerfully._

"_Yea, we left some crumbs for you guys, but if I knew I would be again greeted by Jake's fantasy, I would probably have licked those crumbs and left you guys nothing", Embry said jokingly._

I raged inside for a short moment, but I knew they were only joking. I still hated this part like hell, but I knew that my good mood lately wasn't easy for them. Powerful emotions were harder to control.

"_Keep pushing and soon your nickname will be tripod", I spat back._

"_Ok guys, I am shifting back. Keep patrolling. I will check with you guys soon. Jake, see you in a few", Sam said before we felt him disconnecting from us._

I covered the last mile of my patrol in a flash, I was nearing Sam's place. I shifted back, got dressed and headed toward the house. Even from there, I could smell Emily's cooking. My stomach growled hungrily.

Sam was waiting for me outside, sitting on the steps, his eyes half closed, taking in the sun.

"Been awhile since the last time we had this sunny a day", he said staring at me as I approached the house.

I nodded back, I couldn't wait to head inside and eat, but I knew Sam had something on his mind this morning.

He motioned for me to sit beside him on the steps. A couple of strides later, I sat down.

"Look Jacob, I won't run around it. I am glad you came to me for advice with your business and that you are not pressuring her", he said, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"But, I feel you're distracted, and I need you to be all there. I count on you to show them the way. They look up to you now", he added, glancing sideway toward me.

I took it in. Sam rarely criticized me. Even if he was the alpha of the pack, he still treated me differently.

"Yea, I know Sam. It's driving me insane. Every time I see her all I want to do his kiss her, yell at her to open her eyes, to see me. But you told me to be patient, and I am", I replied sheepishly, staring at my feet.

"I know Jake, and this is why I want you to take a couple of days off, spend them with Bella, or by yourself. You're so tired you can't rein in your emotions and it's distracting", he said, patting me brotherly on the shoulder.

I looked up at him and smiled, it felt good to spend some time with Sam, out of the pack's collective mind.

Sam stood up, slapping a hand loudly on his naked stomach.

"What do you say we go eat that famous breakfast", he added resting both hands on his stomach.

I stood there, looking at my hands, fidgeting.

"Hey Sam, do you think I should make my intentions clear to her, try to force her out of this funk she's in because of that bloodsucker?" I spat the last word, angrily.

He leaned against the ramp of the stairs, glancing back toward the door.

"You would only push her away from you once again. I know it's not easy right now, but she needs time. If you really love her, keep being there for her. Just try to keep it down when you are with us", he added the last part with a small mischievous grin on his face.

"I know you are right. It's just hard you know. I'm not used to being that guy. I usually run on instinct as you know all too well. It's just tearing me apart. He left her broken, in pieces and she is just starting to get herself back together", I added frustratingly.

"The more reason to be patient. If you force her to choose, she will only be reminded of it. Look, I won't lie. You've seen what I thought of her. I don't understand how someone can voluntarily choose to love on of those things. But I've seen how you feel about her. Doesn't it warrant all the patience in the world?" he replied seriously.

I nodded and got up, shoving my hands in the pocket of my cut off black sweats. As I climbed the last two stairs in one stride, he stopped me with a hand on my torso and stared into my eyes.

"Can I ask you a very serious question Jake?" he said clenching his hand into a fist reflexively.

I nodded, unsure about his sudden change in mood. I saw his jaw clench for a moment.

"Have you thought about what would happen if you imprinted on someone else?" he asked through clenched teeth, his eyes closing shamefully.

"Won't happen Sam, it can't. I don't think I could love someone more then her", I answered truthfully.

I had asked myself that question, as I had hoped it would happen to me when I saw Bella again the first time after I had phased.

She was everything I dreamed about. Nothing could be stronger then my feelings for her.

He looked back at me, and shook his head. I knew he wasn't convinced.

I heard the door open and it brought with it a breeze of powerful aromas, blueberry muffins, bacon and pancakes.

"Are you coming inside? Everything is ready." The cheerful mother like voice of Emily greeted us.

Sam eyes suddenly changed, his whole being becoming suddenly lighter, more joyful. He turned toward Emily, gently kissing her on her scarred cheek and took her by the hand heading inside.

I stood a moment on the porch looking at them and imagined something like that with Bella and smiled. Sam was right; I had all the time in the world. I had to be patient. It was harder when I was with her because my emotions often tried to get the best of me.

Well, I had couple of free days coming up it seemed, so I would try to be with her as much as I could. Maybe we could go rent a movie or something. I knew Charlie would join my father tomorrow night for the game.

The sound of the door closing behind them brought me out of my reverie, and I headed inside. My stomach was planning a revolt if I didn't feed it.


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N):**** As usual, thanks Meesh/immzw4 for your invaluable second pair of eyes.**

**This story is kind of a departure to my usual style, but interestingly enough, not as boring as I thought it would be writing it. Hope it's not to boring reading it ******

**Don't forget to leave a review, any and all comments are welcome. I don't bite I promise and criticism is as welcome as praise.**

**Hope you enjoy this new chapter. It's a bit long.**

"_Let us be grateful to people who makes us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."__ – __Marcel Proust_

**Chapter V**

_Bella'__s POV_

I couldn't believe how time was flying by lately, only a couple more days before the beginning of April.

Jacob was on vacation for lack of a better term. Sam gave him some time off from his duties. I spent a lot of time in La Push, sharing time between the Black's house and Emily's.

Emily had grown on me very quickly, and I rather enjoyed spending time with her. She was opening to me, less guarded as she realized I didn't care about her scar anymore. To be honest, the only time I noticed it was when Sam kissed it.

And that was my cue to leave them, as their love was still too much for me to handle.

But even if I missed her the last couple of days, I loved spending time at my place with Jacob. I know it will sound weird, but I loved the lack of distractions and having Jake's attention all to myself.

And of course, knowing he was safe and not running around looking for trouble was another added perk.

Tonight Charlie was heading down to La Push to watch the game with Billy and we would have the place to ourselves. I had cooked for us, Mushroom Risotto.

I doubled the recipe, since I knew a normal portion for a werewolf was the equivalent of a meal for a whole family. I had thirty minutes before Jake would show up, so I had been slowly working on it.

The secret to a good Risotto, according to the website I had printed this recipe out of, was patience. Well, it passed the time and kept my mind occupied on something.

"Smells delicious, Bells. I am not sure I want to head out to Billy's just yet," my father exclaimed as he walked in the kitchen.

He hovered around me, looking at the sheet of paper on the counter has I added another part of vegetable stock to the Arborio rice.

"Seriously, you would never do something that fancy for me", he teased.

"Anyone special coming tonight?" he asked curiously, feigning ignorance.

I continued paying attention to my rice, making sure it wouldn't stick to the pan before glaring back at him.

"Look Charlie, better head down there and grab a pizza before Billy sends a rescue party for you. There is no way you are getting any of this Risotto. I am not even sure there will be enough for Jake," I added with a grin on my face.

Charlie leaned back against the fridge, suddenly becoming serious.

"You guys are going to be good or should I stick around and make sure?" he replied with his Chief Swan voice.

"Come on Dad, we are simply watching a movie and I have to feed him since you are feeding Billy. It's simply being polite," I retorted rolling my eyes at him.

He stared at me for a short while and nodded, grabbing his jacket on the chair at what had become the head of the table, because that's where he usually sat.

"I won't be back too late, call me if there is anything", he replied, heading toward the door.

The last week had been great, and I could say it for once without lying to myself. Jake had been true to his word, he spent as much time as he could with me and behaved like he had promised. I felt like a sunflower lately, always reacting to my sun while he was around.

Time revolved around Jacob, and school hadn't felt like an escape in a long while. Time there slowed as of late, I counted the hours before I was heading back to La Push to spend time with either Jacob or Emily.

I couldn't explain it, but being able to be myself with him without having to push him away when he decided to be pushy once again was a relief. At first I was convinced it would last a couple of days and he would revert back, but he hadn't.

I glanced at the clock. The risotto was ready. I kept it warm while waiting for Jake to show up.

As if on cue, he knocked on the door gently. I rushed quickly to the door and opened it. He was smiling, with a DVD box in his right hand.

"Smells great Bells, thanks for inviting me over," he greeted me, walking inside and closing the door behind him.

I stepped back a little, taking a good lock at him. Something wasn't right and for a moment I couldn't put my finger on it. He stared back at me, questioning.

After a moment it dawned on me. I just wasn't used to seeing him fully dressed. He looked good in worn out jeans and an olive button-down shirt.

"Didn't know you owned anything other than shorts anymore," I said with a teasing grin.

He ran one hand on his neck with a shy look on his face.

"Yea well, I better not rip these, or I will effectively own nothing but shorts," he answered with a bit of shame in his eyes.

I stared at him from head to toe, amazed at how the olive complimented his russet skin.

He cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable with the attention, and I felt the blood rush to my face as he noticed me checking him out.

"So, what did you get?" I inquired, trying to distract him.

"I got the gooiest romantic comedy I could get. I asked the girl there to point one out to me," he replied teasingly, keeping the box out of reach over his head as I tried to snatching it form his hand.

I pouted, looking up to him.

"You promised you wouldn't!" I countered trying to make my voice sound a mix between anger and hurt, but failed miserably.

He laughed out loud genuinely and handed the box to me. I lunged at it before he could put it out of reach again, and he yielded it to me. Jake headed toward the kitchen as I read the title of the movie: _History of Violence_.

I hadn't heard of it, but I smiled. He had kept his promise, no gooey stuff.

We ate mostly in silence, as he devoured his third helping. At first when I helped Emily and saw the wolf boys eating, it had shocked me. But I was used to it now. They needed a lot more sustenance then normal kids. He looked up at me as I played with the remains of my first plate.

"Sorry Bella, its second nature now. I'm so used to eating with them, if I don't wolf down quickly I don't get my share," he said grinning.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Jake. I am now used to thinking of you as a cute russet pig when you eat," I countered keeping a serious face for a whole ten seconds before giggling at his exaggerated shocked face.

He finished his plate and we washed the dishes together. I washed, he rinsed and dried. I looked up at him while working hard with a scrubbing brush to clean the pan.

"How is everything on the reservation?" I inquired.

He shrugged.

"Same old, same old. Sam his helping Sue with the house, Harry was fixing the roof couple of days before," he replied but couldn't finish his sentence.

"Other than that, last time I checked with the pack, they hadn't found anything since that day. She hasn't been back since then," he added drying one of our plates.

I felt that he wasn't telling me everything, but I didn't want to push him. If something was on his mind, he would tell me eventually.

"But Sam thinks it's the calm before the storm. She hasn't stopped trying to test us for the last few months. Every couple of days we would smell her tracks on our land. And for the last week, nothing," he whispered looking out the window.

I felt something clutching at my stomach, I forgot about her, my own personal vampiric reaper for the last week. The threat still loomed, and it terrified me.

Not only for my own sake, but more for the wolves. Especially the russet one and his life size alter ego standing in my kitchen.

He sprayed me with some soapy water, forcing me to close my eyes. I let the pan drop in the sink with a loud thud and I turn toward him shocked.

He smiles and broke out laughing, I felt the soapy foam slowly running down my cheek. He braced for a hit from my part, still amused as I approached him. Slowly I bent down toward his chest and wiped my face clean on his shirt.

"Ah, come on Bells. That's low, the only shirt I own!" He responded clearly feigning annoyance.

We washed the remaining dishes in quiet silence, pretending to be mad at each other, biting on our lips to avoid from smiling. He was better at it than I was.

We then moved to the living room and he sprawled on the couch while I started the movie.

I went back toward the couch and I tossed the remote control toward him and he caught it out of the air easily without putting much thought into it.

"Hey, do you guys have any popcorn?" he asked patting his stomach.

I looked back at him with a puzzled look, spreading my arms.

"You just ate for three. You are still hungry?" I inquired half surprised.

He smiled sheepishly.

"What's a movie without some popcorn, Bells?" he replied with an apologetic look in his eyes.

I sighed with a grin, tossing my hands in the air.

"Hope you enjoy the microwavable kind," I retorted loudly form the kitchen.

I heard the previews starts with the usual cheesy voice.

_Available _soon_ in DVD._

And then the sound stopped. Jake was forwarding through the previews. I smiled. He remembered when I told him I hated those damn previews when we caught a movie together with Mike Newton.

The beeping sound of the microwave cycle ending brought me back out of my thoughts, and I opened the door to last fainting popping sound of the corn still excited by the heat. There, I did listen in my physics class. Or something akin to listening.

I ripped the bag open and threw the contents in the bowl before joining Jake on the couch.

There wasn't really any room left so I decided to sprawl myself in front of him so my head rested on his calf and my feet found their way under his chest for some heat. He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face, but then just grabbed the bowl from me and dropped it near his waist so we could both reach it by extending our arm.

I started to listen to the movie intently, but every time our fingers would graze each others when we reached for popcorn at the same time sent little jolt trough my arms and sent goose bumps all over my arms and down my neck.

I lost concentration on the movie just after the first time we saw the bad guy with the missing eye in the café where the main character worked or owned. I wasn't sure anymore.

I stared at Jacob, watching his chest rise and fall rhythmically as he drew in breaths and his eyes tensed a little bit and I knew without even looking at the screen that there was some action coming up.

The heat emanating from him and his breathing slowly lulled me to sleep, and before I knew it I was fighting against my heavier then lead eyelids.

****

I had a strange dream. I was walking in the forest around La Push alone. It was that magical moment just before the sun rose. The night sky looked on fire and was aflame with a purplish light as the moon tried to hold the sky a moment longer, as if to make the sun rise just a tad slower.

As I walked into a clearing, I could see shapes on a little hill farther away, but before I could take another step, I stood by them.

Now I could distinguish the forms. One was a huge wolf. I couldn't discern his colors as the sky distorted everything and made the grass look lapis lazuli and the stars deep amber.

Before him was a small broken tree, its leaves still full of life but it was broken and bent out of shape.

On the other side of him stood a man, tall and glowing like a diamond under the light. I stared into the light as the sun rose behind him, illuminating him even more. I peered at him trough my fingers as I shielded my eyes with the back of my left hand.

For a moment he gazed at me, with golden eyes, like molten suns.

I looked at them confused, and I finally could see movement. The wolf was shuffling hesitantly on his legs, visibly injured. The illuminated form was favouring his left arm, pinning the right one against his side.

I stood motionless, unable to speak or move.

They both jumped toward each other and everything faded away, I retreated form the scene in fast forward, moving backward toward the clearing then, in the woods before everything went black.

****

I jerked up straight on the couch panting and heard a muffled thud as then I nearly fell to the ground but Jake caught me before I did, keeping me on the couch.

I looked back at him, panicked.

"Hey Bells," he ventured hesitantly, still keeping me gently pinned with the back of his arm to the couch.

I looked around and saw the bowl that held the popcorn on the ground with a couple of unopened seeds on the carpet. The credits of the movie were rolling slowly on the screen and it finally all came back to me.

Dinner, movie, popcorn, couch, Jake. Not in any particular order.

"You know you have the cutest little snore right," he said with a huge grin.

"Very funny, at least I don't snore like my truck like someone I know!" I retorted, embarrassed by falling asleep.

He yawned and stretched and then retracted his legs toward him before sitting.

"Thanks for everything it was awesome Bella," he said leaning down to pick up the bowl and laid it down on the table.

I smiled back at him.

"Sure, sure," I replied back to him, trying to sound just like him. He snickered at that.

He started to get up and reflexively my hand shot out and I grabbed his arm to keep him from getting up. Well, I didn't so much keep him from getting up with any force but rather my touch did it.

I laced my fingers through his and looked back at him. I tried to look into his eyes to see if I could find something more there.

I felt great and content with him. Maybe I owed him more than this.

He smiled back at me, looking down at our interlaced fingers.

And then the front door opened with a loud thud as it banged against the wall. I let go of his hand reflexively and shot up.

"Hey dad!" I greeted him a bit too cheerfully.

Jacob waved at Charlie and headed toward the door passing beside him.

"Jake wait," I called after him, trying to rack my brain about the sequence of events that just unfolded, but I didn't have time for it.

"Night Bells, see you tomorrow," he replied back to me with a forced smile.

Charlie and Jake exchanged goodnights and before I could say anything else or force my feet toward the door I heard the Rabbit sputter to life and leave.

"So, how was the night? Any of that risotto left for your old man?" he inquired, visibly less interested in the latter part of his question.

I sighed and stormed toward the stairs to my room.


	6. Interlude I

**(A/N):**** Thanks MeechMeesh/immzw4 for your patience and time.**

**Bit of a break from the main course, hope you enjoy it.**

"_The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy."__ – __Friedrich Nietzsche_

**Interlude I**

_Victoria's POV_

The sky was grey and the clouds foretold the upcoming inevitability that rain would be coming, sooner rather than later.

It had been a little more than a year since they had taken my James away from me. All of them would pay. Each of them would suffer the pain I had to acknowledge and embrace every single day.

Grief doesn't fuel me. Sadness doesn't run me. Revenge is the one and only reason for my existence. I owed James that much. He would have done the same for me. Killing that overdramatic, pathetic excuse for a vampire would give me incredible pleasure.

But he needed to feel the void left when your other half was taken away from you. He needed to experience the gut wrenching feeling when your partner, your better half, was brutally torn away from you.

"What are we looking for my love?" he asked, walking out of the forest to stand by me on a cliff overlooking the beach.

As I glanced over at him, I saw a cheap copy of my James. I chose him well, but still he lacked the _je ne sais quoi _that made my mate the purest form of predator known to man. The sheer beauty of James' gift was breath taking.

He had the same kind of blond hair, but too short.

He had the same kind of build, but too thin, less muscular.

He had the confidence of a lackey, not the impregnable confidence of the _baddest motherfucker _on the block.

At least Riley had the same perfect crimson eyes starring back lovingly at me, like a fragile puppy awaiting some form of petting.

I extended my hand toward his face, not as defined and perfect as my deadly angel. I ran my fingers lightly to trace the line of his jaw.

"A weakness my dear, a way to avoid those watch dogs," I answered with the lightest tone.

I needed to be patient with him. I was used to playing games with my James. They were fun, and we danced this macabre ballet perfectly. Now I felt like I was a ballerina with a pair of lead-laden boots.

Riley closed his eyes at my touch and smiled at me. I only had to close my eyes, fight all my instincts, and he sometime became a poor substitute to the real thing.

Who was taken away from me.

Someone would pay.

And I knew the perfect someone. She had a sweet smell, a cross between honey and lavender with a touch of summer. She meant nothing more to me then a means to an end.

I envisioned many nights about tearing her apart limb by limb, slowly and methodically. I had seen James take apart a human once, but he knew just how to break the limbs and tear them off in just a way to keep them screaming long enough to be enjoyable.

James had been an artist. I just hoped I could be a decent copycat with her. Her mate had decided to keep her fragile, and I would make sure he would see her again, in pieces, and unable to keep her with him for eternity.

Riley was visibly nervous. We could smell them all around us. The dogs had run by not long ago and would circle back soon enough. They kept trying to create those laughable traps.

I had to hand it to them. They were relentless, and I still couldn't explain my bad luck. What were the odds that she would live near a pack of werewolves and they would be protecting the small town?

James had once hunted and dismembered one of their kin for fun somewhere in the north, in farthest reaches of the Canadian lands. I had hated the trip all the way there. The hunt was scarce with humans, but James needed to fulfill this hunt, a fantasy since he had heard about those blasted creatures.

I had never heard of such huge a pack of them banding together either. It was probably why they protected the town, easier pickings for them if they had no competition.

I planted a kiss on Riley's forehead and he beamed at me like a love-struck teenager. I regretted having turned him every single day, but I needed help with the newborns.

"Don't worry my love. I needed you to smell their scent and see the lay of the land," I told him with a smile.

"Time to head back. I need you to make sure the newborns aren't killing each other, much," I added the last word amusingly.

He nodded emphatically, visibly enjoying his place in the plan as my right hand.

He would have his use, like all of them. I enjoyed turning them and sending them his way for him to try to keep them from killing one another. My plan was perfect. When the dust settled, my revenge would be carried out, and no one would be able to link any of my tools or pets back to me.

Poor Riley, he hadn't caught on he was feeding on borrowed time.

I started running reflexively through the forest with Riley following me closely. I never twice thought about it, running with danger all around me made me feel alive.

Nobody could keep up with me if I didn't want them to. Often I had to double back to help Riley follow.

We had often played this game, James and I. I ran and he tried to catch me. I usually gave in and let him catch me, but only after a long chase.

I lived for the hunt, but sometimes I made him hunt me for days, and he grew angry and frustrated. It only made our makeup sex session more fun.

He bit harder when he was angry.

Once though, my curiosity took over and I ran without letting him catch me.

And he never did. For 12 days he hunted me and I ran circles around him. He was infuriated; He wasn't used to losing.

He had never met a prey he could not track down.

It was the first time and the last time he had abandoned a hunt, and when I joined him three days later, we didn't talk about it.

He made me pay for it, though. It took a year before he shared a meal with me. He knew feeding with him was my favourite part of our beautiful union.

The dogs just didn't catch on, they couldn't.

They had just met the one prey they could never catch, and when I was ready they would understand the simple truth.

They would lose the one thing they never had.

Control.

Because it was but an illusion. They never had control over the situation.

And the moment it dawned on them would be the day I would make them pay for having the audacity to stand between me and my prize.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

_For you James._


	7. Chapter 6

**(A/N):**** Thanks Meesh/immzw4 for your invaluable help. Greatly appreciated.**

**Back to the main program, hope you are still tuned.**

**Don't be shy with reviews, this writer feeds on them! ******

"_You can't always get what you want."__ – __Jagger & Richards – Rolling Stones_

**Chapter VI**

_Bella's POV_

I hated this silence, I hated having the same dream over and over, the same one I had the last night I spent with Jacob.

More than anything, I hated that he avoided me again today. It had been three days now.

I hadn't spoken to him since the movie night. When I stopped at Billy's, Jacob was always out.

When I asked Embry or Jared, when I was at Emily's and they showed up for food, they stammered some poor laughable excuses and squirmed until I dropped it.

I tried to get something out of Sam once, but I might as well have tried to break a brick wall with my head.

I paced my room to no avail, and I turned to face the chair with his black shirt still on it. He never claimed it and I didn't mind having it resting there.

Well I usually didn't mind, but I felt the shirt judging me today.

Stupid shirt.

I toyed with my cell phone, looking at the display.

_Jake – Home_

I could have called him once again, but I didn't feel like listening to Billy's excuses.

I threw my phone on my bed out of frustration.

This was stupid. I needed to get out of here. I was supposed to head to Emily's after school but I forgot a book I needed for my studies.

Well I didn't really need it, but I hadn't felt like heading straight over there and facing the collective silence of the pact once again. Emily always tried to cheer me up, but all I wanted was to talk to Jacob.

So I had come home, eaten and watched some television, trying hard to not think about him.

This was childish; I grabbed my car keys and headed downstairs. I would get my answers.

***

I drove all the way to La Push as fast as I could. To be honest, as fast as my faithful vehicle allowed me to.

The sun had set less then an hour before, dusk had settled in giving the woods an eerie feel.

I worked myself into DEFCON 1.

Well, I wasn't really sure what it meant, but when I watched some military movies with Charlie, they always sounded so serious using that word during war crises.

I crossed into Quileute territory. I wasn't going to take no for an answer from any of them.

Jacob needed to be reminded that I never gave up on him, on us, and he had no right to do so.

After it happened, I understood why he stayed away from me when he learned about his mystical transformation. It nearly broke me again as I almost spiralled down once more into my abysmal apathy.

I could be honest about it now. I had been very fragile when he had brought me back to life, or the quasi state of awareness and interaction I had attained at that point.

I was a lot better now thanks to him and his friends, and this time I knew he had absolutely no good reason to withdraw from our relationship.

What our relationship was exactly was difficult to define. The line blurred somewhere between friends and something else.

I was brought out of my mental debate when something furry ran out in the middle of the road, illuminated by my headlights.

Reflexively, I swerved toward the side of the road and I felt my world shaking out of control as I fought the steering wheel to regain control of my truck as I felt the back of my truck dangerously forcing me into a spin.

I heard a loud explosion sound and my truck and I finally lost our fight against inertia and spun at least three or four times on our original axis after I kicked down with all my strength on the brakes.

When the truck finally came to a stop in the middle of the road in a shower of sparks, I was holding on the steering wheel so hard my knuckles were white.

After what felt like at least four eternities, I relaxed my grip, breathed deep and hard and started to laugh out loud nervously.

I pulled on my hazard button and looked at both sides of the road as my truck stood perpendicular to the two lanes.

I never felt so glad to live in a small community with laughable traffic.

Once my laugh died out, I started to shake like a leaf. I knew I was about 15 minutes away from Billy's place on foot, but I couldn't leave my truck there.

I dug my shaking hand in my jacket pocket fiddling for my phone and it was missing. I frantically tried my other pocket. No phone.

I needed to call Charlie. He would come pick me up and he could send out a tow truck for mine.

I tried my jeans pockets, nothing. I never left the house without it. Where the hell was it?

I felt like I jumped out of my skin when a hand slammed on the side of my truck as someone banged into my truck to stop his run. I yelped out loud, putting a hand over my mouth as my brain tried to make sense of what I was looking at.

Little Seth Clearwater was looking at me through the passenger window.

Well, not-so-little anymore Seth Clearwater I should say.

Shirtless, not-so-little Seth stared at me, I could see his lips moving but all I could hear was my heart pounding like a drummer in a punk rock concert in my ears and the deafening sound of my truck's engine roaring in the background.

I tried to make sense of it.

Why was Seth shirtless?

Why didn't I have my phone with me?

Was it a racoon that ran in front of me?

I finally turned the key of my truck to stop my engine and extended my arm to roll down the passenger window, my hand shaking even more violently.

Seth looked at me with uncertainty.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked, visibly concerned.

Shirtless Seth started to get blurry around the edges and I literally felt the blood pump in my ears.

"Bella, stay with me. Jake is on his way," he said gently taking my hand in is.

The name seemed to send a rush of my blood past my drumming ears to my brain and I slowly steadied my breathing.

My eyes focused on Seth and the blurring slowly faded away.

His hand felt so warm in mine.

"How does Jake knows I am here?" I inquired, my shaking lips breaking my voice, and it barely passed as a murmur.

He looked back at the dark tree line.

"Jared, please give me a hand. We need to move the truck to the side of the road," he said toward the forest.

Moments later, a tall form walked out of the forest. Jared in cut off dark jeans shorts, also shirtless.

Jared muttered something under his breath that I couldn't hear, leaped on the box of my truck and jumped over the other side to land on the road beside my door.

Seth gently grabbed me by the arm and slid me toward the passenger seat as Jared opened the driver's side door.

"How can such a little girl attract so much bad luck?" Jared said looking over me at Seth, shaking his head.

Jared put my truck on the neutral gear, rolled down the window and closed the door.

I resented that. I don't attract bad luck. Well, not that much anyway.

I looked at Jared who was still smirking, proud of his little affirmation, and to the other side to Seth.

They both pushed my truck, with Jared turning the wheel to orient it toward the side of the road.

They finally stopped pushing when my truck was safely parked on the side of the road.

I knew I missed something, but my brain could barely function right, trying to hold back from breaking down.

Seth opened the door and I nearly fell down face first when I got out as my legs gave out on me.

Seth caught me and leaned me back against the side of the truck.

"Take it easy Bella," he ushered comfortingly.

My entire body was shaking as the entirety of the last 15 minutes came crashing back down onto me.

"You sure know how to pick em brother," I heard Jared say as I turned around.

Jake was running toward us, shirtless of course. The moon shone down on his russet skin, highlighting his muscular frame.

"Shut up Jared," Jake spat back, growling.

Jared snorted and headed back toward the forest.

"Come on, Seth," he said with an authoritative tone of voice.

Jake gently grabbed me by the shoulders staring into my eyes, his warm hands over my now chilly, shaking body.

Seth took a couple of steps back, looking at us.

"Thanks, Seth. I'll take it from here," Jake said his voice strained.

I was shaking worse now, looking up into Jake's eyes filled with a mix of anger and fear. I couldn't hear the other two walk away, but I felt them leave.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked, slowly emphasizing each word.

I fought back tears, still shaking, and started to hit him repeatedly in the chest with my closed fists.

"You promised you wouldn't leave me again!" I yelled at him, but my voice quickly cracked as I broke down sobbing.

I was still hitting him without much force behind my blows and I knew I wasn't hurting him one bit. In fact, I felt like I was banging on a cement wall.

"You promised!" I kept repeating over and over.

He crushed me toward him in a hug and I gave up, curling into his chest sobbing as I let everything I had bottled up over the last minutes out.

Over the last days I should say.

There in the darkness beside my truck, he held me silently, protectively.

After awhile, something finally connected in my brain, like two pieces of a puzzle coming together.

I sobbed for a little while, and finally when I felt my voice would be strong enough I tried to ask him something but it came out muffled in his chest.

"What?" he replied, backing a little, looking down at me.

"Is Seth a werewolf too?" I asked, wiping the tears from my faces with the back of my jacket.


	8. Chapter 7

**(A/N):**** Thanks Meesh/immzw4, you just rock.**

**Feel free to leave any comments, all of them are welcome. **

**It's mostly going slowly for now, but I promise mucho action, blood, love and death :) in the eventual future.**

"_If there is no struggle, there is no progress."__ – __Frederick Douglass_

**Chapter VII**

_Bella's POV_

I walked back to Billy's home with Jacob under the full moon, casting a silvery hue on the tree lines and the road.

The forest that felt so mysterious and frightening when I was alone now felt mystical and secure. I knew the wolves were keeping and eye on us. I couldn't see them, but I could feel them.

Well, not really. I felt Jacob's uncomfortable glances toward the trees every few minutes so I knew we were being observed.

I felt glad for the respite, as we walked side by side in silence. I had time to go over why I rushed here in the first place tonight. Jacob walked slowly to accommodate my slower than usual walking speed.

I still trembled slightly from the shock of my nearly fatal accident. He had held me for what felt both as an eternity and a moment. After my question about Seth, he told me we would talk about it back at his place, and he held me again.

I didn't push him away. I had needed to feel secure, and I had needed to feel appreciated. Frankly, I had needed to feel loved.

There, I had to go and do it, and now I felt like shit. Seriously, I had to consider the fact I might have been mentally unstable.

Anyway, after the question he held me for long minutes, and I calmed down enough to walk on my own.

I looked up and stared at Jake, he was trying to hold back a smile.

"What is so funny?" I inquired curiously.

"You are, when you go into your head, you forget everything around you and I can see you actually arguing with yourself," he replied still smirking.

I bit down on my lower lip, crossing my arms in mock frustration.

"It's cute, in an insane kind of way," he added looking up at the sky.

I continued to chew down on my lip, holding back a smile.

Why did everything he said to me send a jolt down my spine and explode into butterflies in my stomach?

Without really thinking about it, I uncrossed my arms and I gently grabbed his hand in mine, interlacing my small delicate fingers in his rough, callous strong ones.

I felt his hand, and then his body tense after we locked hands. I tried to unclasp my fingers but he squeezed them gently, relaxing his whole body.

I cleared my throat as we approached his house as I could see the lights on.

"Hey Jake, do you mind if we go for a walk on the beach?" I asked timidly.

He peered down at me, uncertainty written all over his face for a moment. He caught himself and rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Sure, whatever you want Bella," he replied.

I saw Billy look at us through the window as we passed near the house and we headed down toward the beach.

It was dark now, but Jake led the way, still holding my hand, and guided me. I could hear the sound of the waves, but all my attention went to Jake.

I focused on him. I didn't want to fall flat on my face and injure myself, depriving me of my time with him.

It had taken me days and a near death experience to get him to talk to me. I wouldn't ruin this with my clumsiness.

As we cleared the last trees and ended up on the beach, the view took my breath away.

The gentle silvery rays of the full moon danced across the water and glazed gracefully over the sand giving it a warm tone as the rhythmic slow sound of the waves played like a lullaby in my ears.

We stopped as Jake took in the sight himself, and I felt his eyes on me as I closed mine to feel the fresh cool wind caress my face and send my hair rocking gently in the air.

After a moment he guided me toward a rock and he sat down still holding my hand.

We stared at each other for a long while, and I felt pulled toward him but I held my spot in the sand. We looked like magnets, trying hard to fight the pull.

I twisted my hold on his hand, using my other hand to pull at his legs and sat down on the sand between his legs.

He hesitated, but he slid down from his rock and I felt his heat surrounded me like a blanket. For a moment, it felt like when I was a kid and my father held me in his arms with a blanket and rocked me to sleep.

Weird, I hadn't thought about my memories with Charlie and my youth in a very long time.

I nestled closer to his bare chest, seeking warmth as the cool breeze from the water provided a nice balance with his heat.

I knew I would need to start the talk, but I was afraid to break the silence.

"So, Seth huh?" I asked to break the ice.

"Yeah, everything happened in a space of a couple of day for the Clearwaters. With their father, and then soon after, this happened," he responded, shaking his head slightly.

"Poor Sue, poor Leah," I added in a whisper.

He snorted.

"You are right about Sue," he voiced.

I turned my head to look up at him stunned.

He didn't look down at me, but I knew he felt my eyes on him.

"Look, you didn't come here and crash your truck to talk about the pack right?" he asked, effectively closing this line of questioning for tonight.

I nestled back into him with a frustrated sigh. I could feel the train derailing.

He shook his head, and let out a sigh of his own. I felt his warm breath in my hair.

"I didn't crash it. I just took it for a spin, ok!" I exclaimed squeezing his fingers and poking his calf with my free hand.

I felt the chuckles from the vibration in his torso.

"Nice pun there, Bells," he retorted, absently running the fingers of his free hand down the length of my arm.

I still felt like hell about it, but I was alive and killed no one. Not even the furry thing that ran in the middle of the freaking road.

I didn't want to think about my truck right now. Tomorrow would come soon enough with all the problems.

I lived in the moment. I had my Jacob. Now I had to press the issue. I hadn't come all this way to simply hand the pack another reason to laugh at me.

At least I knew Seth wouldn't laugh about it.

"Look Jake, we can't keep dancing this stupid dance. I thought we were over this," I started, pausing for a moment, "I can't have you turtle away without telling me. Last few days were hell," I pronounced with a trace of edginess of my voice.

My voice wouldn't break tonight I commanded to myself.

I felt him tense behind me, and he stopped running his fingers on my arm also.

"I am not sure what I did wrong, but we need to be able to talk about things like that. We talk about everything else, so if I do something to piss you off you have to let me know!" I intoned, gradually building mental momentum.

And then I felt cold in a flash, like a cold snap as he withdrew completely away from me in a swift but delicate motion, rising up to his feet.

I shivered from the change of ambient temperature but I kept my hold on his hand. Well, it's more that he didn't try hard to pry his fingers away not wanting to bruise my hand.

I stared up in his eyes, and I gave him my resolved face. It must have had some effect because it stopped him and he shook his head.

"Fine, if you really want to go into this now," he announced, taking a couple of steps and sat down in front of me.

"What is it Jake?" I inquired firmly.

"I don't know how to make it right anymore Bells. I promised you things, but I feel like I can't keep up those promises anymore," he replied, his voice shaking slightly.

I recognized suddenly that he had a lot bottled in, so I kept my thoughts to myself and held my tongue.

"I promised we were only friends again, but it's tearing me inside out. I see it in your eyes that you want more out of this, but you don't. And I promised I wouldn't push again," he added, slightly trying to unlace his fingers from mine.

I didn't let him. I felt like my bones would crack if I continued to hold onto his like this, but I felt if I let them go he would leave too. He stopped after a moment, and looked at our hands then up at me, his jaw hardening.

He looked away avoiding my gaze.

"God, you're such a kid. Just tell me what's on your mind, Jacob," I intoned, a bit harsher then I intended.

He was so aggravating. Worse than the stupid judging shirt.

He turned and faced me, gently lifting our interlaced hands.

"I may be a kid", he spat down the last word, "but I know what I want, Bella. Do you?" he asked seriously.

And that train was clearly jumping tracks now and would crash soon if I didn't do anything to stop it.

Why was everything so complicated?

And there, in this moment I heard him again, but I didn't understand. I wasn't in any danger.

_Be happy Bella__. Be honest with yourself. _

Wait what? Where was the sharpness and anger in his voice? Everything was just wrong right now.

I must have made a face that Jake wrongly interpreted because he looked hurt.

_Stop holding on to your pain__. You deserve more than misery, my love. _

Neither of them made sense right now, and usually when I heard that beautiful angelic voice I would shut everything else out.

Nothing else mattered when he had shown up, but I realized I was pushing his voice away without really thinking about it.

Would it kill me later on when I was alone again?

Would I crash back down to hell?

I couldn't think about it, but a voice in the back of my mind proclaimed that I didn't feel like I would die.

Maybe I would be ok. Maybe I needed to stop holding on to things that were hurting me.

Or maybe I was just really going insane and I needed to be interned.

I could hear that train in my head, next stop: straightjacket.

"Look Jake, I need you to be a little more patient with me. You are only right about one thing though," I finally retorted after what felt like a very long pause.

"What?" he asked, uncertainty marred on his face.

"You are a kid, no denying that," I joked smirking.

He sighed and took his hand away, and rose in a swift motion. He towered over me, the moon hung over his head as I looked up at him and he gave him a cherubic look as the silvery astral body crowned his face like a halo.

"Jake stay, I was juts kidding." I said offering him my hand once more.

I could see his body quivering from anger, my hand gently rested on top of one of his. My touch calmed him it seemed.

_Just be happy__. Free yourself from all your pain Bella._

Ok, this had to stop for a moment right now. I couldn't keep a straight conversation with Jake or Edward, let alone two at the same time.

That's weird; I had said his name without hesitation, and no fear of an oncoming emotional backlash.

Not the time for introspection. All hands on deck for Jacob.

"Okay, you are right. I am not sure what I want. But I want you in my life, and I care for you," I stated seriously.

"Why?" he replied between his clenched teeth.

"I don't know why Jake," I stammered back.

He shook his head.

"Not good enough Bella," he retorted softly.

"That's not fair Jacob," I whispered back, fighting the tears that were welling up at the corner of my eyes.

"Tell me, Bells," he whispered back, taking a step forward his body a sliver away from mine, the heat hitting me like a tsunami.

_Tell him._

I closed my eyes, this was unreal.

"Just tell me, Bella," he purred in my ear.

_Just tell him__, Bella._

My mind was taking a leave of absence and my body was betraying me. I could feel it shivering all over, and this time not from the cool breeze.

I didn't know if this was right, but right now it's the only thing that felt real. I needed him. I don't know if I felt as strongly about him as he felt about me.

Did I like him this way?

Did I _love_ him?

I took the plunge, everything about this felt right. Maybe the voice was right. Maybe I had held on to misery for too long.

I owed Jacob to try. I owed him that much.

I looked up at him and felt the longing in his eyes. I felt the magnetic pull from his body to mine.

This didn't feel like magnets, the parallel wasn't strong enough.

I felt like a planet being pulled by a sun.

My sun.

Mine.

"Kiss me," I whispered at him, pushing up toward him on the tip of my toes, eagerly.

I saw the hesitation in his eyes and when he felt me pushing myself into him, I witnessed the birth of a star. His face lit up from everywhere.

And then, all hell broke loose.

A piercing wolf howl followed by a chorus of howls broke the silent night.

Jake's head whipped toward the forest.

"Danger," he muttered before looking back at me, a growl rumbling in his chest.

I felt him crumble before me, the pull of two forces tearing him apart.

I didn't know was that all about? My hormones screamed at me to embrace him and keep him away from whatever threatened the wolves.

But if I did, then I would keep him from being what made him Jacob.

And that was _my _Jacob.

"Go, I know my way back," I said to him, taking a step back.

My mind, my body, and my sanity screamed no.

I saw him take a step backward toward the forest, looking at me.

"Go!" I intoned with the remaining courage I could muster.

He smiled back at me, and then broke in a run toward the forest his whole body quivering.

I fell down on my knees, tears pouring out.

I heard a chorus of howls in the night, the strongest one the nearest from me.

My Jacob.

My wolf.

"Kiss me," I whispered through my sobs.


	9. Chapter 8

**(A/N):**** Thanks Meesh/immzw4 for your time and expertise.**

**Feel free to leave any comments; all of them are welcome and greatly appreciated.**

"_If ignorant of both your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril."__ –__Sun Tzu_

**Chapter VIII**

_Jacob__'s POV_

The silvery rays of the moon fought their way through the thick canopy of the trees, giving the forest ground a ghostly pale glow.

_Crap. Shit. Damn. Fuck._

Here went another pair of shorts.

I still smelled her intoxicating perfume as I scrounged every last drop of willpower to gather the strength to leave her, speeding away from her in giant strides, quivering unnaturally.

Between the howling of my brothers and sister, my pack, and the echoing words of Bella, I didn't have one free brain cell to spare for my measly shorts.

May they rest in peace. They served me well enough.

One moment I was thinking of my shorts and then I was free and running on four legs.

It felt good.

Not as good as hearing her lovingly whisper those words to me.

She finally asked me, she finally understood what she felt for me.

I heard a collective groan from my pack.

"_Jake, get in the game. That vampire crossed our borders once more an hour or so ago. She seems to be zigzagging all over the place," Sam informed me with a very authoritarian no nonsense tone._

"_Pair up and try to push her toward the center of our patrol. Seth, form up with Jake," he ordered once more._

I saw Leah and Embry partnered, running the southernmost tip of the territory. Damn the girl could run. Embry was pushing himself hard, but he barely could keep up with her.

Jared and Paul took the region nearest to our homes. Sam wanted the oldest of his wolves near the reservation if the leech tried to head there.

Sam took the north by himself and sent Seth my way to cover the east.

All I could think of was her scent, her eyes, her beautiful lips burning with desire for me.

I heard a groan once more and tried to push her to the back of my mind for now, without great success.

I focused on the rhythmic sound of paws churning dirt and covering vast distance rapidly. I could see all of them more clearly now, eager to trap that evasive bloodsucker.

Embry and Leah were on the edge of their border already and running it, trying to get a fresher scent.

I kept going east trying to slow my pace to let Seth catch up to me.

"_Jake, wait for Seth," said Sam as we felt the anxiety coming out of Seth._

I sighed, slowing a bit more but still intent on finding a track before she went around me and potentially headed for the beach, and Bella.

Distractedly, I sped up again as fear rushed over me. Bella could be in danger if that stone cold bitch slipped by us.

"_Seth, cut over that creek and meet me over the ridge as I loop around to cover the beach side," I told him as I keep pushing faster to cover the last Ks._

Then the sickly odour I kept trying to find finally assaulted my nostrils, a mixture of decay and putrefaction.

I banked hard to the left to follow her trail and had to jump over a huge rock then spring myself on a tree to keep my velocity, bits of barks flying in the air as my claws raked over the century old tree.

"_Jake, do not engage. Direct her toward me. Everyone converges on our position," Sam ordered us with military precision._

I realized she was trying to slip trough our paws and intended to head for the beach.

In that precise moment, all rational thought left me and I pushed harder as my claws dug farther in the ground to propel me faster then I ever thought possible.

I knew instinctively that I was disobeying my Alpha, but he hadn't used that Alpha voice to order me.

I felt Sam's disapproval, and I knew I was in for it once this was over. But it didn't matter, only one thing mattered.

Bella was on the beach heading toward my place, and that forsaken leech was nearly around us and was heading in that direction.

_Bella._

_Billy._

I was so distracted and worried that I didn't notice before the last fraction of a second that the foul smell I was tracking suddenly intensified and felt like a wall of putrid smoke.

In that moment, all my animal instincts took over as I glimpsed a pale ivory face framed by a fiery mane staring at me as she jumped down gracefully from a tree branch her right hand formed in a harpy claw aiming for my throat.

I dug my left hind leg hard in the ground and let myself spin and ducked my head under her razor sharp nails.

This maverick last second maneuver had two effects.

First, I spun a full 360 degrees and dug my other claws in the dirt to stop couple of meters away from her in an attack stance, teeth bared.

Secondly, I did manage to dodge out of the way of the brunt of her vicious strike, but surprise was on her side and while she might have missed my throat, she did score a powerful blow on my torso that made every bone in my body rattle.

I knew she had tweaked something badly as a numbness quickly started to spread over my front legs. It felt like a ton of brick had decided to dance a salsa with me. On one hand it did give me more momentum to spin farther away from her in my present defensive stance

But I knew I would be slower, I could feel a bit if numbness intensifying through my front legs.

Her lips curled in a predatory smile over her bared, pristine ivory teeth. She crouched lower on her legs, arms spread away from her thin body in a distinctive predatory stance.

I growled deeply, and snapped my teeth in her direction.

She stepped back a little, dancing gracefully and lithely on her feet from side to side.

I felt all of pack at once in my head, a mix of anger, fear, anxiety and a pure undulating yearning to join me. Seth was the nearest, doubling back from his course to converge on Sam and heading toward me.

But Sam was faster, gaining ground on him with each powerful stride. It would be a close call between them both.

As she danced trying to test my defences, I kept circling counter clockwise from her, keeping my distance, snapping my teeth at her to keep her at bay. She replied by swinging her _claws _in my direction.

She paused mid stride during one of her lunges, taking a step back, motionless, like a polished marble stone.

Her crystalline childish voice surprised me.

"I can smell her all over you, little puppy," she intoned glacially with mix of amusement and astonishment.

She seemed to think it over for a long moment; her face seemed to light up as something dawned on her,

"You're like her watch dog or something, or maybe even another lover?" she whispered playfully.

I growled menacingly.

She smiled more widely, her white pristine teeth flashing in the darkness.

It felt too crowded in my head. I focused all my attention on the leech in front of me.

The pain in my torso numbing my front legs was starting to show on my movements and she didn't miss it as she threw her head back slightly and laughed.

It sounded like a little chime bell. It raked my nerves raw.

"Oh how I will savour tearing her apart limb by limb," she murmured with a vicious smile.

I growled and sprung into action lunging toward her, teeth bared. She took a step sideways, thinking I would go past her and expose my flank but I anticipated her move and dug my claws in the dirt to change direction, keeping my momentum to crash into her.

It worked partially as my numbed front legs betrayed me slightly and I lost a lot of momentum. I managed to bump her hard on the side, sending her flying a couple of feet back, crashing into a small tree splintering it in two.

But she did manage to kick me while I flung myself into her catching me straight in the muzzle.

I tasted blood, my own, as I shook my head to fight the wave of dizziness coming over me.

She snarled at me, picking up the part of the tree, now a 6 foot long log and sent it spiralling menacingly in my direction.

I reacted in a split second and propelled myself in the air, my paws gently grazing the wood projectile and as soon as my paws touched the ground I ran toward her.

She was surprised by this and I managed to dig my teeth profoundly in her left forearm. I was aiming for her throat but she shielded herself.

As I tried to lock my jaw around her lithe arm to try and tear it away from her body, she decided that the best defense is a great offense

Inhumanly fast, she brought her right arm down in an axe-like motion aiming at my head. I jerked hard on her imprisoned arm to try and dodge her incoming blow but her speed caught me by surprise once more.

She landed her blow square on the top of my back, sending me crashing to the ground releasing my grip on her arm and all the air was expulsed out of my lungs.

"_Jake hold on, I am nearly there," yelled Sam in my head._

I was aware that all of them were talking but I couldn't make sense of anything they were saying. It sounded like white noise in the background of my head.

Everything was shifting in my vision, for a moment I thought I saw twin leeches in front of me.

I managed with a Herculean effort to rise up once more on four legs, but she was coming hard for me once again.

I knew that if I tried to retreat I would be too slow and she was probably anticipating it and planned to lunge for the killing blow.

I knew at once that I had lost this fight when she incapacitated me with her surprise attack.

I knew it with certainty, but all I could think about was that I had to hold her here until my pack arrived for the sake of Bella.

So I took a page from her book and stepped into her advance, raking at her legs with my sluggish front claws, scoring deep gashes on her left thigh, but as she let out a muffle cry of anger and surprise she sent her right foot upward in a deadly arcing kick toward my flank, sending me tumbling on the ground.

I felt ribs give out as I crashed into a huge tree.

I tried to rise up once more as a weak growl escaped between my bloodied bared teeth.

My vision was getting blurry fast, but I did manage to rise up, my whole body trembling from the effort.

She did look injured, favoring her right leg looking at me with dismay.

"I will reward your arrogance by making sure she suffers even longer that I had originally planned. And there I thought I would break one heart by eating hers." She said smiling childishly.

That leech bitch was creeping me out.

She took at step forward cautiously eyeing me, coming in for the kill. I had ideas, but darkness was creeping on the edge of my vision as my body was slowly betraying me.

"You're only a bonus," she offered in a crystalline childish voice.

Then I saw a sandy coloured cannonball of fur jumping out of the darkness of the trees and interposing itself between me and her.

Seth bared his teeth at her and growled.

Victoria paused in her track, surprised.

"_Seth, cover my flank don't attack her," I told him as I took a few steps forward with difficulty._

Seth threw his head back and let out a powerful howl and sidestepped a blow she threw at him.

He was quick, but not quick enough. I could see it. He managed to dodge her swipe once more but all she did was position him between her and a huge tree to try and pin him down.

"_Seth, watch out," I ordered a moment too late._

Numbness was spreading all over my body and mind right now. It took all my willpower to stay conscious.

In that moment my mind saw it before it happened, I was just too slow to act. Sluggishly I tried to lunge forward to break her momentum.

But she was too fast, like a blur she managed to pin Seth with the tree and as he tried to step backward he realized his mistake and what my muffled warning meant.

Time slowed down, and Seth froze in place. She kicked him hard in the face with a sickening crunch and brought both hands down in a loud crunch sound over his back sending him sprawling to the ground with a thud and a whimper.

Time unfurled, I heard Leah screaming in my head, all of them were converging on our position less then a minute away.

Sam, like a huge shadow, seemed to appear out of nowhere and landed down over Seth protectively, baring his teeth at Victoria and swiping at her legs viciously.

She was surprised by his arrival and did manage to get out of the way of his swipes as Sam was more interested in defending Seth than anything else right now.

She snarled and looking at us in a moment she realized she was out of time and started retreating rapidly.

I took a few more steps toward her but in a moment everything went black as all my remaining willpower drained away.

The last image I saw in my mind was Bella stepping into me, her moist lips eagerly awaiting a kiss from me.


End file.
